Pneumatic stool with foot rest connected to seat base

ABSTRACT

A swivel stool seat is supported by a central column and a pneumatic cylinder which adjusts the height of the seat within a predetermined range. A foot rest is rigidly attached to the seat mounting spider and depends downwardly therefrom. The foot rest turns with the seat and raises and lowers with the seat. The bottom of the pneumatic cylinder is supported by a retainer fork that extends through horizontal slots in the central column. A thrust bearing is positioned between the retainer fork and the lower end of the pneumatic cylinder. A generally cylindrical shroud removably covers the portion of the column that includes the horizontal slots for the retainer fork to hide the retainer fork from view.

United States Patent [1 1 Crossman et al.

1 PNEUMATIC STOOL WITH FOOT REST CONNECTED TO SEAT BASE [75] Inventors:Philip Edgar Crossman; Richard Jerome Resch, both of Green Bay,

Wis.

[73] Assignee: Krueger Metal Products, Inc., Green Bay, Wis.

[22] Filed: May 10, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 468,714

[ June 24, 1975 Primary Examiner-James T. McCall Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Henry C. Fuller, Jr.

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT A swivel stool seat is supported by a central column anda pneumatic cylinder which adjusts the height of the seat within apredetermined range. A foot rest is rigidly attached to the seatmounting spider and depends downwardly therefrom. The foot rest turnswith the seat and raises and lowers with the seat. The bottom of thepneumatic cylinder is supported by a retainer fork that extends throughhorizontal slots in the central column. A thrust bearing is positionedbetween the retainer fork and the lower end of the pneumatic cylinder. Agenerally cylindrical shroud removably covers the portion of the columnthat includes the horizontal slots for the retainer fork to hide theretainer fork from view.

4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 1 PNEUMATIC STOOL WITH FOOT REST CONNECTEDTO S EAT BASE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toswivel stools which are adjustable in height and has for its principalobject to provide an improved swivel stool of this general type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A swivel stool seat is supported by a centralcolumn and a pneumatic cylinder which adjusts the height of the seatwithin a predetermined range. A foot rest is rigidly attached to theseat mounting spider and depends downwardly therefrom. The foot restturns with the seat and raises and lowers with the seat. The bottom ofthe pneumatic cylinder is supported by a retainer member that extendsthrough horizontal slots in the central column. A thrust bearing ispositioned between the retainer member and the lower end of thepneumatic cylinder. A generally cylindrical shroud removably covers theportion of the column that includes the horizontal slots for theretainer member to hide the retainer member from view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of oneillustrative embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of thelower portion of the cylindrical supporting column shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the line33 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows one illustrativeembodiment of the invention which includes an integrally molded plasticseat and backrest shell which is rigidly attached to a conventionalmounting spider 12. The mounting spider 12 is pivotally supported by ahand operated pneumatic cylinder 14 which can be raised and lowered bymeans of an operating lever 16. The inner details of pneumatic cylinder14 are not shown in the drawings because cylinder 14 is a conventionalprior art unit with inner details which are not germane to theinvention.

The upper end of pneumatic cylinder 14 is rigidly attached to spider 12by conventional means not shown in the drawing. The lower end ofpneumatic cylinder 14 is rotatably supported within a centralcylindrical column 18 which in turn is supported by a conventional base20. The base 20 includes four horizontal legs 22 which radiate outwardlyfrom the bottom of column 18 and are movably supported by fourconventional casters 24. The column 18 and legs 22 are preferably madeof steel and may be welded together at the base of column 18 or joinedtogether by any other suitable fastening means.

A foot rest 26 which is formed from one piece of steel tubing is rigidlyattached to spider 12 by welding the horizontal portions 28 thereof tothe spider, although other suitable fastening means such as bolts couldbe employed if desired. The foot rest 26 has a pair of downwardlyextending leg portions 30 and a horizontal foot supporting bar 32 thatextends between the bottom of leg portions 30. Since footrest 26 isrigidly attached to spider 12, it rotates when seat 10 is rotated andmoves up and vdown when seat 10 is moved up and down. This is animportant advantage of. the invention in terms of comfort for the seatedperson. In the past, thestool footrest was fastened to the base of thestool and stayed stationary when theseat wasmovedei'ther sideways or upand down. 1 i

The exposedsteel partsof the stool are preferably chrome plated orenameled to protect the steel and present a pleasing appearance.

Another important feature of the invention involves the means formounting the pneumatic cylinder 14 within central column 18. As shown inFIG. 2, a solid shaft 34 which is threaded to accept a hexagonal nut 36projects downward from the bottom of pneumatic cylinder 14. A thrustbearing 38 surrounds the shaft 34 and is supported by a retainer fork 40which has forked legs 42 (see FIG. 3) which embrace shaft 34 and providea seat for thrust bearing 38. The retainer fork 40 slides through twohorizontal slots 44 and 46 in central column 18, the lower margin ofslots 44 and 46 serving to support the ends of the retainer fork 40,while the center of fork 40 supports the thrust bearing 38. The bottomof shaft 34 is prevented from being withdrawn from its engagement withretainer fork 40 by means of a washer 48 (see FIG. 2) and a retainerring 50 which holds washer 48 in place against the bottom of retainerfork 40.

Pneumatic cylinder 14 is centered within column 18 by a hollowcylindrical bushing sleeve 52 having an upper flanged edge 54 whichrests on top of column 18. The inside diameter of bushing sleeve 52 isslightly larger than the outside diameter of pneumatic cylinder 14 topermit cylinder 14 to rotate within bushing 52.

The lower end of column 18 is covered by a cylindrical shroud 56 whichis larger in diameter than column 18 and has an inclined upper edge 58which is shaped like a truncated cone. The lower edge of shroud 56 isslotted at four locations 60, two of which are visible in FIG. 1, toreceive the four horizontal legs 22 and slide down between legs 22 as at62 (see FIG. 1) to cover the joints between legs 22 and column 18.Shroud 56 also covers the ends of retainer fork 40 which extendsoutwardly from the slots 44 and 46 in column 18. If it is desired toremove the retainer fork 40, access thereto can be obtained by simplysliding the shroud 56 upwardly until the ends of retainer fork 40 areexposed.

What is claimed is:

l. A swivel stool comprising a base including a hollow cylindricalcolumn, a pneumatic cylinder enclosed at its lower end within the upperend of said column, a flat retainer member for supporting the lower endof said pneumatic cylinder, at least two horizontal slots formed in saidcolumn for receiving and supporting said retainer member, a thrustbearing positioned between the upper surface of said retainer member andthe lower end of said pneumatic cylinder, a mounting spider attached tothe upper end of said pneumatic cylinder, and a seat attached to theupper side of said mounting spider and wherein a shaft extendsdownwardly from the lower end of said pneumatic cylinder, and whereinone side of said retainer member is forked to embrace said shaft.

2. The swivel stool defined in claim 1 and further comprising a hollowbushing sleeve located within the top portion of said column, the insidediameter of said bushing sleeve being slightly larger than the outsidediameter of said pneumatic cylinder, and a lower portion of saidpneumatic cylinder being rotatably supported within said bushing sleeve.

3. The swivel stool defined in claim 1 and further comprising a hollowcylindrical shroud covering the portion of said column including saidslots for receiving 5 said retainer member.

4. A swivel stool as defined in claim 3 and further legs and saidcolumn.

1. A swivel stool comprising a base including a hollow cylindricalcolumn, a pneumatic cylinder enclosed at its lower end within the upperend of said column, a flat retainer member for supporting the lower endof said pneumatic cylinder, at least two horizontal slots formed in saidcolumn for receiving and supporting said retainer member, a thrustbearing positioned between the upper surface of said retainer member andthe lower end of said pneumatic cylinder, a mounting spider attached tothe upper end of said pneumatic cylinder, and a seat attached to theupper side of said mounting spider and wherein a shaft extendsdownwardly from the lower end of said pneumatic cylinder, and whereinone side of said retainer member is forked to embrace said shaft.
 2. Theswivel stool defined in claim 1 and further comprising a hollow bushingsleeve located within the top portion of said column, the insidediameter of said bushing sleeve being slightly larger than the outsidediameter of said pneumatic cylinder, and a lower portion of saidpneumatic cylinder being rotatably supported wIthin said bushing sleeve.3. The swivel stool defined in claim 1 and further comprising a hollowcylindrical shroud covering the portion of said column including saidslots for receiving said retainer member.
 4. A swivel stool as definedin claim 3 and further comprising a plurality of legs radiatingoutwardly from the bottom of said column for supporting the same, and aplurality of slots formed in the bottom of said shroud for receivingsaid legs to cover the joints between said legs and said column.